Candidates who participated in the Namibia Correctional Service's recruitment fitness training in the Kavango East Region are crying foul, saying the results were tampered with.

Candidates argue that they were not offered fair treatment by officials.

The candidates claim that despite passing all the required tests, their names did not appear on the list of qualified candidates.

They allege that their names were replaced with those of candidates from other regions, further claiming that those applicants were not shortlisted.

Johannes Hausiku read the petition and said they needed clarity on the selection process.

"The final list of successful candidates came out on February 3, 2023, and no one from the four of us was on the list. We gave our very best in every activity, but in the end, they took female candidates from the |Khomas Region to put them on the Kavango list. The list of those who were shortlisted for the written test shows that there were no female candidates from the two Kavango Regions who qualified for the written test; the final list of successful candidates for recruitment has five names of female candidates from the two Kavango Regions; our question is, how?"

The candidates claim that their scrutiny of the list revealed that four out of five female candidates who applied in the region, were reportedly from the Khomas Region.

"We feel betrayed because, honestly speaking, with the evidence, only five came from Kavango East and six from Kavango West. More than 60 people from the |Khomas Region. Our leaders, with much pain in our hearts, humbly request that you do something. Why does it always have to be that Kavango regions and some regions are left out? The government, through the Ministry of Home Affairs, Safety, and Security, announced that they are employing 260 candidates, but on the list that came out, there are only 245 candidates who are going to fill up the space."

Receiving the petition, the Chairperson of the Kavango East Regional Council, Damian Maghambayi, said a report would be compiled and sent to the Commissioner General of the Namibia Correctional Service for further consideration.

"As the regional leadership, we take your grievance very seriously. We are going to write a letter later to the commissioner general of the Namibian Correctional Service so that we can hear some answers, but let me assure you that as a region, we are going to address this matter on a very urgent basis."

Correctional Service recruits are set to commence their six-month training on Monday.